Improvement in reversible latches



w. T. Mumien.

I Reversible Latches.

.N0 133,919' Y PatentedMgy13J873..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALLACE T. MUNGER, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO P. 8v

F. CORBIN, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVERSIBLE LATCHES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 138,919, dated May 13,1873; application led April 12, 1873.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALLACE T. MUNGEE, of New Britain, in the county ofHartford and State of Connecticut, have invented an Innprovement inReversible Latches, of which the following is a specification:

This invention relates to a mortise-latch that is designed for use,especially on storedoors, as a right or left hand latch without alteringthe mechanism.

This invention consists in a latch-case made with an opening through itin which projects an arm that is operated for withdrawing the latch, andthis arm is central so that the latch case may be reversed for the bevelot' thc latch to stand in either direction.

In the drawing, Figure l is an elevation of the latch with the cap plateremoved, and Fig. 2 is a sectional plan at the line .r x.

a is the back plate or box of the latch-case; b, the front plate; and cis the cap plate. d is the latch-lcolt5 these parts are of any usualsize or character. The bolt d is provided with the shank e, which passesthrough and is riveted to the horseshoe or yoke f. The yoke f extendsacross the case so as to be held in position by the latter, and its endsextend as arms .g h toward the back end of the case and are bent inwardto form hooks. The springs 'i c' and their guide-pins keep the yoke fand bolt d in place and guide the same as the latch is pressed out whenin use. The trident, composed of arms k Z m from a hub, n, which is upona stud, o, at the center of the latch-case, operates the latch asfollows: The arms kl extend to the tail pieces g h, respectively, of theyoke f and bear against them so that the arm or lever m is held centralof the lock-case.

If the arm m is moved up or down it will act to draw the latch back byone or the other of the arms lo l, acting upon the tail piece g or h.

The latch-case and cap plate c are formed with an opening, p,into whichopening the arm fm extends so that it may be operated from the outsideby any suitable device, such as a thumb-piece upon the end of a lever,said lever passing through the opening p.

It will be seen that the latch d and arm m being central of the case,the case may be placed with the bevel of the bolt in either direction,and the operation will be the same, and no change is required in themechanism of the latch, the arm or lever m operating 'precisely the samewhether moved up or down.

If the yoke f is made with only one arm, 7L, a lever can be employedto-move the same, in which case the arms 7c lwill be shortened to act'as cams against such lever.

I claim as my invention'- 1. The latch-case made with an opening, p,throughthe same, lin combination with the trident 7c lm, yokef, andlatch d, substantially as set forth.

2. The case of the latch made with an opening, p, through the same, incombination with the latch mechanism and the arm m, occupying a centralposition in such opening to allow the 'latch-case to be reversed,substantially as specified.

Signed by me this 4th day ot' April, A. D.

W. T. MUN GER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES PEcK, JOHN R. SLOAN.

